How do I use an SPG50 Award?

Silly question. I've tried using an SPG50 award at 2 properties but bother are coming back saying "The promotion code you requested is invalid. The following choices are available."

Am I just 0 for 2 in finding "a participating Starwood hotel or resort worldwide" or is there something special I need to do here? I'm trying to book online @ spg.com and I'm inputing "SPG50" as the promotion code.

Coupon specifically says can only be done by phone. As others will echo, this is rarely a good value.

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Plat Concierge helped me with mine over the phone as I redeemed one for 1000 SPG points and made the reservations all in one call. Great value ... I saved $165 off the best rate for 4-nights stay and as a Platinum was upgraded to the SGS' famous Grande Suite with butler service.

SPG50 certain is a lesson in applying sheer brute force. I call the Plat. Concierge with a list of hotels an run down choices until I find one where the rate 1) is valid 2) provides a sufficient discount. Process requires patience but can be worthwhile.

You can't find a good rate with SPG 50 every time, but in my experience you can find it often enough. For the 1,000 Starpoint cost (used to be one per year free with the Starwood AMEX, but that's gone) it's an outstanding bargain.

Not sure I agree with this logic-- I think it just means others are willing to pay more for a room than I am. FWIW, I've never found a good rate using the cert. (I tried again while booking four separate stays last month with the final paper cert from Amex.)

I have found that the SPG50 seems to work best for non-US hotels. Will not work all the time but will work for a significant number of reservations. Again, it all depends on the hotel and time of year.

I called in and checked rates for my hotel of choice. The SPG50 rate was higher than the rates I was pulling up on spg.com. The guy who answered the phone told me that my best bets are to use the SPG50 at hotels in peak season / times when something significant is going on and the hotel is near capacity.

This makes good sense of course but it's a shame that SPG50 doesn't at least match the rates coming up on spg.com. Oh well.

I have used them- but it does pay to check all the rates available prior to considering.

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Tend to agree. I was seldom finding any bargains when using this redemption and have pretty much given up. Suppose I should take another look. BTW do these bookings earn stay credits/points, or as with Pts+$s just the incidental charges earn SPG points?

I recently used a SPG50 coupon at the Sheraton Hanoi. It saved me maybe 30% off the lowest available rate. I am in the midst of fighting for my stay credit though. I think in some instances if you check around they are worth using!

Strange that you people are having problems not getting your earned points posted with this rate. Not only I got my points/stay credit for the SPG50 rate, I also got that quarter's double/triple promo SPG points .. I believe this is a property-specific issue. Maybe one of the SPG Champs can help on this one. Here is how the points from the SPG50 stay are itemized on my account:

.. I believe this is a property-specific issue. Maybe one of the SPG Champs can help on this one...

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Definitely a property-specific issue. Sending a copy of the hotel to Program Services is the best solution to fixing it short-term. It can be sent via fax to 519-633-8557 or scanned and attached to an email sent to research@starwoodhotels.com.

Thanks for the info SPG Champion. I will see how it goes. So far through e-dialogue with the property, a very helpful Exec. Club Manager from the Sheraton Hanoi has been looking after it. She has managed so far to credit points for incidentals, and for the Plat amenity 500 pts. Now I am working on the "stay" credit. She has been very helpful and first reached out to me here on MPoint. I will continue to follow up.

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